“Here’s the staff kitchen. Have you used a coffee maker before?”

Starting a new job was never stressful for me, especially compared to the job search itself. A new job always brought a sense of rejuvenation, of opportunity, of rebirth. It was most appropriate that as the Cubs and Sox took their first swings of the season and as spring snow descended in Chicago, I arrived at Magnani Continuum Marketing as their new Digital Content Strategist.

“Do you prefer neon green or neon pink? Those are the kinds of highlighters we have.”

The first thing that stood out to me about the Magnani team was how prepared they were for me. My desk was cleared. My Mac was loaded up. My paperwork and W9 forms were ready. That may seem like the ‘least they could do’ but I can’t tell you the last workplace that didn’t have me sitting at a lunch table or in a broom closet twiddling my thumbs for the entire first week. Magnani seemed extremely prepared for my arrival. While the truth may be something far different, one that had half the staff scrambling right up until I stepped through the door, I was none the wiser.

“Walk around and introduce yourself. If someone isn’t at their desk, try walking again later.”

You hear the same things every place you work, ‘let me know if you have any questions’, ‘everyone is here to help if you need it’, and ‘don’t feel like you’re an island unto yourself’. I think there’s a mandatory portion of OSHA that requires hiring managers to recite the same spiel. But at Magnani the words rang a little more true than I previously experienced. None of it has felt put on or forced. At 30 full time employees, a smattering of interns and a couple of freelancers Magnani is neither too small to feel smothered nor too big to get lost. It’s in the Goldilocks zone. It’s just right. Firmly entrenched at the corner of Michigan and Adams and overlooking the Art Institute of Chicago, Magnani is a place that certainly feels welcoming. From the arcade games, to the Willy Wonka inspired snack closet, to the over sized beanbags there’s no reason to not be comfortable.

My favorite spot in the office overlooks the Art Institute and the park. The natural eb and flow of the bustling city make for an inspiring background to the work day. The street drum team arrives everyday about 2:30 to put drumstick to bucket for art museum tourists and shoppers. Their sound is most welcome and just in time to snap you out of your post-lunch doldrums.

“Social Media, huh? Have you ever heard of Snapchat?”

I’m extremely happy to be here at Magnani and truly excited about innovative products, people, and ideas that are in play here. The modern digital world allows you to tell your story and connect with your clients in ways no one could have imagined even just a few short years ago.

You’re going to be seeing a lot of changes for Magnani in the coming months. While a new website is in the works we have a lot more planned to keep you engaged, informed, and entertained. Blogs, like this one written by moi, will be popping up more frequently to discuss all the latest and greatest news that you need to know. Videos are going to play a much larger role as we’ll be bringing you the smiling faces and shining personalities of the Magnani team. But the thing we’re most excited about rolling out is the official Magnani Continuum Podcast. We’ll be interviewing Chicago’s movers and shakers, diving deep into the latest trends, and even chatting up sports and pop culture. It’s a little bit of Magnani you can take with you on the train!